8:00pm – Thursday, August 6 on ABC1
Teens are re-writing the rules of sex but while their bodies suddenly become adult, they’re not necessarily in sync with their chief sex organ – the teen brain. Whether they’re having sex or not, whether their parents like it or not, teenagers are sexual beings. Today’s teens are having sex earlier, clocking up more partners and are more sexually adventurous than ever. It all starts with puberty, the human sexuality switch, but it’s the teen brain that drives this change, influencing teen sex lives in surprising ways.
The Teens: We explore the science of teenage sexuality, through a group of diverse teenagers who are all living it.
The Teen Sex Panel: We can’t do experiments on teen sex for pretty obvious reasons, so instead we’ve assembled a panel of teens who aren’t afraid to talk about it. Matt, Judi, Genesis, Olivia and Jessica make up the special team of sex commentators, each selected for their unique perspective, who discuss and debate taboo sex topics.
Marina (18 yrs) is a sexually active, confident young woman who talks honestly and openly with her parents about sex. Calvin (15 yrs) has taken the fast lane to learning about sex. He may be young, but he’s sexually experienced. Liam (16 yrs) and Nikki (15 yrs) are a young couple fuelled by possibly the strongest human drive of all – the powerful force of intense teenage love.
The Science: Developing sexuality is core to the experience of being a teen. But the science behind teen sex isn’t just about raging hormones. The chief sex organ turns out to be the fast changing teenage brain – it’s impulsive, thrill-seeking and wired for risk. We’ll uncover the influences of the brain in both teenage sex and first love. With modern teenagers rewriting the rules of sex, in this episode we explore the rise of STDs and unwanted sex in the lives of Australian teens, as well as the new phenomenon of teen ‘sexting’.